701.9311/561
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hornbeck)
The Italian Ambassador called and said that he had been informed from Rome that the Chinese Minister there had stated to the Foreign Office that he “was going to raise” the Chinese Legation there to the rank of Embassy and that the same thing was being said by the Ministers [Page 536] of China at Washington, London and Paris. The Ambassador wished to know whether the Department had had any such approach from the Chinese Legation here. In this connection, the Ambassador referred to a somewhat similar inquiry which his Embassy had made here in the spring of 1933.
I replied that we had had nothing whatever from the Chinese Legation on this subject. I went on to remark that the Chinese have raised this question at one capital or another and under various circumstances at intervals during the past twenty or more years.
The Ambassador asked what would be the position of this Government if the Chinese now approach us on the subject. I replied that I had no reason to estimate that it would be different from what it has been in the past.
The Ambassador then inquired whether he might ask an “indiscreet question”: He said that it was well known that his Government has in no way deviated from its earlier position with regard to Manchuria, that of “non-recognition”; he would like to know what the American Government thinks about this question in connection with recent developments in the Far East. (See separate memorandum.)75